Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1887-09-23

| 10 praCllcai aSTicuituIc.
One Improvement after another has
followed in rapid succession, until to-day
wherever the eye may turn at an agri-
cultural exhibition, it rests upon the
creations of the genius Of the American
mechanic. We may here inspect the
skillfully turned plow, the ingenious
drill, the toothsome harrow, the useful
mower, the graceful reaper and binder,
and the strong but awkward corn har-
vester, the invention OF one Of Jeffer.
sons own citizens-these, my friends,
are some of the practical labor-saving
Inventions, which have aided so much
to stay the discouraging hand Of compe.
tition, which otherwise would bear 90
heavily upon the farmer.
What novel yet thrilling sight 1t
would be, could you to-day stand upon
an elevated knoll, overlooking = ten
thousand acre field Of golden grain In
the far State of California, and watch
that monster machine drawn by twenty
mules as it cuts, threshes, cleans and
sacks 80 to 10 acres Of wheat per day,
under The supervision of four men. And
no less novel would bc the experience,
to some at least Of you, TO see q long
train of cars, filled with grain, run un-
der oEe of those immense elevators In
Buffalo or Chicago, and watch those
large shovels, worked by machinery,
unloading the :rain at the rate Of car
per minute.
The genius Of man seems sufficiently
bold to gra2ple with every unsolved
mystery and, by patient, laborious and
intelligent application and experiment,
TO solve 1t.
The 18th century, and especially this
period of the century, can be compared
with no other epoch Of the worlds his
tory. 1t is pre-eminently the period OF
bold, daring and successful victory over
the physical world. The developments
in the mechanical art are but keeping
pace with the discoveries In every
branch of physical science. The tsle-
graph, that binds the world with band
Of electricity, causes the tabled messen-
ger of Olympus 10 sink into insignih-
cance. How wonderful are the results
achieved blythe ingenuity OF man Ia
the application Of steam, and what .
power has been placed by It's discovery
In the hand Of man, u creature with no
muscle to grow weary, no nerve TO re-
lax and no breast TO feel faintness.
We may study with reverence and
earnestness the revealed word, but we
dimly appreciate the majesty Of Jeho-
yah, until the astronomer, with the as
sistance Of the appliances Of the present
day, rolls back the scroll OF spotless
blue, revealing to man the innumcrabls
worlds, Kingdoms and principalities Of
the heavens, all controlled by the fxed
and immutable laws and revolving In
harmonious unison under the eye Of
their Creator. We fail, my friends, to
walk intelligently beyond the bounds-
ries Of recorded history, until layer by
layer has been peeled from the earth's
surface, by the geologist, to teach man
the development Of physical nature, and
to demonstrate the fact that he was the
last Of created matter. The engineering
genius Of son Of France has united
the waters OF the Mediterranean and
Red seas, and, not satisfied with that, 10
now graphing with rugged nature, TO
lessen the risk and shorten the route OF
commerce, by uniting the waters Of the
Atlantic and Pacific.
This is Ia truth an sge Of bold, rest.
less, active and intelligent workers 10
every department Of life, and the agri.
culturist, to be abreast with the times
In which he lives, must catch the en-
thusiasm OF the hour and be animated
by the same spirit ofaggresslve energy.
Stop not, my friends. 10 mourn over
supposed want Of fertility In your lands.
Exercise the intelligent and boundlcss
energy with which q benenccnt Creator
has endowed you, and by the adoption
OF judicious and conservative methods,
overcome the obstacles which stand be.
tween you and profitable farming. I
am aware, my friends. that speak to
one Of the most intelligent and cultured
farming communities that can Do found
within the limits Of our Republic, and
one which, II possessed of the spirit
that should animate 1t, will surely So
cure the palm OF victory Ia its contest
with nature.
Before conclude, permit me, on be-
half Of the association, TO extend to the
fair daughters Of Jefferson and her
nelghboring counties cordial and
hearty welcome. without the evidencs
OF your handiwork, and your presence,
an agricultural exhibition would b
shorn Of much ofits attractiveness, and.
with all due respect to the gentlemen
present, would draw together, I fesr,
but few outside Of the class known ~
old bachelors, whose pleasure and hap
piness In life has, under q mistaken
idea, been voluntarily sacrificed to that
idol whose title is selnshness. The part
assigned TO you, ladies. by nature and
custom, In the administration Of the
affairs Of busbandry, is ss essential 70
its success as that which devolvss upon
the bead Of the family. To yoar charge
has been entrusted the dairy, the pou:-
try yard and all those numerous do.
mestic duties, which, when faithfully
performed, makes the home attractive
and happy. The cIinging vine and
brilliant blossoms that surround you
with the evidence of yc6 emeut ruust